Not gonna lie, I don't know much about Bashkortostan (an energy-rich southwestern region in the Russian Federation). One time, I edited my friend's final paper on Bashkortostan, and I haven't really kept up on it. All the same, the New York Times put out an article today that left me with more questions than answers, and I WELCOME angry comments correcting me.
So it seems Murtaza Rakhimov, 75, the leader of Bashkortostan since 1990, gave an interview with a Moscow paper. In the interview, he asserts that Russia’s political institutions were “embarrassing to look at” and that the country “is walking away from the process of democratization.”
Right now, everything is decided from above. The level of centralization is worse than it was in Soviet times. With respect to local people, they carry out a policy of distrust and disrespect.
Let's do this, 1. I'm always caught off guard when any man living in Russia makes it past 65. 75 years old. What's his secret to longevity?
2. I'm glad he made it to 75, but now he's going to die, right? I mean. Ballsy.
3. A man who's been the leader of a region since 1990 is upset about the country's process of democratization? Again, I don't know that much about Bashkortostan, so maybe there's no term limits on running Bashkortostan, and maybe he's been voted in every time. I don't know.
Please, someone, wikipedia all this already.
1 comment:
I was reading NYTimes article, and when i came to a point where it says that Rakhimov speaking about problems of democratization, is in power since 1990 - I immediately opened ER - was sure that you'll have something on it :)
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